The Star Wars Titles Dominating Disney+ Aren’t the Ones You Expect
Nielsen’s latest rankings shake up the Star Wars pecking order on Disney+, with a few dark-horse titles eclipsing the obvious favorites.
Here’s a fun one for Star Wars Day: Nielsen just dropped a pile of data on which Star Wars movies and shows people actually watched on Disney+ last year, and I have to say, it’s more interesting than I expected. If you think you know what tops the list, you might want to double-check your Force sensitivity.
Here’s How Star Wars Fans Actually Binge
According to the numbers, U.S. viewers clocked a whopping 33 billion minutes — yep, billion with a 'b' — of Star Wars content spread across streaming and linear TV in 2023. Disney+ is clearly paying for itself, at least for fans still working their way through the galaxy.
The breakdown is pretty telling:
- Movies: 44.2% of total Star Wars viewing time
- Live-action shows: 38.9%
- Animated series: 16.8%
- Documentaries: a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it 0.2%
Star Wars Day: What Did Fans Actually Watch?
On May 4th, also known as Star Wars Day (and an all-hands holiday for nerds everywhere), fans streamed 637 million minutes — about 10.6 million hours — of Star Wars on Disney+. Everybody seems to have a favorite, but here’s what actually topped the lists:
The most-watched Star Wars title? Andor. Makes sense: Season 2 was rolling, and people clearly wanted more rebellion with their nostalgia.
The rest of the top 10 in order:
- Andor
- A New Hope
- The Phantom Menace
- The Empire Strikes Back
- Revenge of the Sith
- Attack of the Clones
- Return of the Jedi
- Rogue One
- Tales of the Underworld
- The Clone Wars
Some surprises here. Sure, the original Star Wars (A New Hope) cracked the top films — not exactly stunning. But The Phantom Menace coming in above The Empire Strikes Back? Didn’t have that on my May the Fourth bingo card. And maybe the biggest twist: Not a single Sequel Trilogy movie (you know, the ones that made mountains of money) made the cut. The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and The Rise of Skywalker? Total no-shows in the top streaming picks.
Why the Sequel Snub?
For all their box office power, the newer Star Wars entries aren’t the comfort food fans reach for. The Sequel Trilogy always gets heat from the fan community, but honestly, I remember the prequel backlash just as vividly. Now, those same prequels everyone trashed 20 years ago are suddenly beloved? There’s hope for the sequels yet, assuming time really heals all Star Wars wounds.
Who Watches What? Nielsen’s Stats by Age Group
Nielsen also broke down who’s watching what, by age group — and there are some curveballs here too:
- Millennials & Gen X: Most invested in Andor
- Gen Z: Giving their love to The Clone Wars (stick with what works, I guess?)
- Gen Alpha & Baby Boomers: Both surprisingly united by The Mandalorian
The Next Big Thing: The Mandalorian and Grogu Hit Theaters
Get ready for the return of Star Wars in theaters. After a seven-year gap (yes, it really has been that long), The Mandalorian and Grogu is dropping on May 22. If you’re wondering what to expect, here’s the official word:
'The evil Empire has fallen, and Imperial warlords remain scattered throughout the galaxy. As the fledgling New Republic works to protect everything the Rebellion fought for, they have enlisted the help of legendary Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his young apprentice Grogu.'
I’m betting this one will clean up at the box office and on Disney+ rewatch lists next year.
So, are you firing up A New Hope this May the 4th, or are you quietly rewatching The Phantom Menace to check if it really got better? Wherever you land, at least Disney+ has the range covered — including whatever nostalgia trip or spicy debate you’re in the mood for.